News 06:00

BULLETIN 31 August 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa trusts the courts to deal with the review of his Section 89 Report
# SAFTU is concerned about the underfunding of the South African National Defence Force
# And rugby: Griquas thrash Boland to reach the Currie Cup semifinal

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has confidence in the courts and Parliament to deal with the matters relating to the Section 89 Independent Panel Report. The Western Cape High Court will hear the president’s review application of the panel’s report, which found that he had a case to answer in the theft on his Phala Phala farm, this week. Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC’s election campaign trail in Orange Farm yesterday, Ramaphosa emphasised that he will respect the decision of the court:

# The Parliament portfolio committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs says it will now develop a detailed programme for processing the Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, commonly referred to as the Municipal Coalitions Bill. The Bill is aimed at providing a legislative framework for the establishment and effective functioning of coalition governments in the local government sphere. It says one of the critical proposals in the Bill is for making written coalition agreements mandatory. The committee says this will make these agreements more transparent, binding and subject to public accountability.

# The South African Federation of Trade Unions is concerned that the South African National Defence Force has been systematically hollowed out by years of underfunding, austerity, deteriorating infrastructure, ageing equipment and inadequate investment in operational capability. SAFTU’s Asive Dyani says for years, government has imposed expanding responsibilities on the SANDF while refusing to provide resources commensurate with those responsibilities. She says the SANDF is increasingly being used to compensate for failures in policing, intelligence, criminal justice, border management and social policy:

# The DA in Ekurhuleni says it is unacceptable and outrageous that suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police deputy chief, Julius Mkhwanazi, has earned 1.2-million-rand in salary while he sits in a cell awaiting criminal justice. The party’s Khathutshelo Rasilingwane says this was revealed by the provincial Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Jacob Mamabolo. She says Mkhwanazi has been arrested five times, on five charges, and has not been granted bail:

# Authorities in Nepal have warned of possible fresh flooding as the death toll from last Wednesday’s flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border continues to rise. At least 788 people have died in Nepal, while Chinese authorities have reported at least 16 deaths. An estimated three-thousand people are missing across both countries, including foreign nationals. Nepal authorities have urged residents in flood-affected districts to remain on high alert after water levels rose in the Bhote Koshi River. A glacial collapse caused the disaster.

# Rugby: The Griquas secured a commanding 45-17 victory to end Boland Kavaliers’ Currie Cup semifinal hopes in the final pool match in Wellington, Western Cape. The defending champions scored seven tries as they dislodged the Cheetahs at the top of the log. With this win, the Griquas have set up a semifinal clash against fourth-placed Lions in Kimberley on Saturday. The other semifinal will see second-placed Cheetahs welcoming third-placed Pumas to Bloemfontein. The final is scheduled for the 12th of September.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-15-cents and the euro at 18-rand-72-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-88-cents and Bitcoin trades at 78-thousand-464-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-460-dollars-11-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….